The short answer: As much as you’re able to (within ), if that鈥檚 financially viable.

If you鈥檙e covered by an HSA-eligible health plan (or high-deductible health plan), the IRS allows you to put as much as $4,400 per year (in 2026) into your health savings account (HSA). If you鈥檙e contributing to an HSA, and on a family HDHP, the maximum amount that you can contribute is $8,750 per year (in 2026). 聽And for those who are 55 or older, for a total of $5,400 or $10,750 for accountholders on a family plan 鈥� with catch-up contributions accepted at any time during the year in which you turn 55.

What is an HSA?

A health savings account gives you greater control of your healthcare expenses and potential savings. It also provides an avenue for you to build a nest egg for retirement and invest. With an HSA, you experience :

• Contributions are tax-free
• Earnings are tax-free
• Withdrawals for eligible expenses are tax-free

Accountholders can truly maximize the potential of an HSA by tapping into its investment capabilities.

What is an HSA contribution?

An HSA contribution is the deposit of funds (for example, from a bank account or your paycheck) into your HSA. HSA participants are advised to contribute the maximum amount each year because the dollars going into these accounts are tax-free. All from year to year, and your HSA stays with you even when you change jobs. This ensures accountholders are able to save long term for future medical expenses.

According to , HSAs saw record-breaking asset growth in 2025. By the end of the year, $174 billion in HSA assets were held in over 41.7 million accounts, showing a 19% year-over-year increase for assets and a 6% increase for accounts.聽

According to data on the 糖心Vlogbenefits platform, here are the year-by-year average employer contributions to an HSA. Get more benefit trends by clicking below!

What can I use my HSA funds to pay for?

You can use your HSA funds to pay for a variety of eligible medical expenses, including cold medicine, eye drops, copays, and eligible vision/dental care. By purchasing eligible expenses, your funds are not subject to taxes when you withdraw them from your HSA. 

If you purchase ineligible expenses, withdrawal of your funds is taxable, and the funds are subject to . If you have an HSA with WEX, you can use the eligible expense scanner on your benefits mobile app to scan the bar code of purchase so you know if they鈥檙e eligible for your HSA funds.

Preparing for retirement

One oft-cited estimate: A 65-year-old couple retiring in 2025 will in healthcare costs throughout retirement. If you鈥檙e uncomfortable contributing the IRS annual max to your HSA through pre-tax payroll contributions, contribute what you are comfortable with.

An HSA also provides the ability to contribute post-tax dollars and take an above-the-line deduction, essentially reducing taxable income for every post-tax dollar that鈥檚 contributed to the HSA.  Additionally, accountholders have up until the tax filing of the following year to make these post-tax contributions for the previous year.

Consider the savings in HDHP premiums

At first glance, contributing the IRS-allowed maximum to your HSA in one year may sound unimaginable.  But when taking into account the premium savings of a HDHP, compared to a traditional health plan, plus tax savings gained through contributing to an HSA, it becomes more realistic.

Need help determining how much you should set aside in your HSA each month? 糖心Vlogprovides a My HSA Planner tool that will help you determine the right amount for you. It takes into account your health plan coverage type, deductible amount, number of years before retirement, monthly healthcare expenses and more.

Watch our below Benefits podcast episode to learn more about the basics of an HSA!

Editor’s note: This post was first published in January 2018. It was most recently updated in April 2026.

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal, financial, or tax advice. For legal, financial, or tax advice, you should consult your own legal counsel, tax and investment advisers. 

糖心Vlogreceives compensation from some of the merchants identified in its blog posts. By linking to these products, 糖心Vlogis not endorsing these products.

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HSA Fact #1: HSAs are employee-owned

While employers may choose to contribute to your employees’ HSAs, it’s important for employees to remember that they have control and ownership over their HSA. This means employees have the freedom to decide how to spend their funds, regardless of their job changes. This type of flexibility is a significant advantage of HSAs, providing peace of mind and encouraging enrollment. Knowing their HSA remains theirs to keep, even if they move on to a new opportunity, allows participants to take control of their health savings and plan for the future.

HSA Fact #2: Open an HSA, regardless of income

HSAs offer tax advantages for everyone, regardless of income. Contributions are tax-deductible, and qualified withdrawals for medical expenses are tax-free. This can be particularly beneficial for lower-income individuals by helping them stretch their healthcare dollars further. By understanding this broad-reaching benefit, employees will see HSAs not as intimidating, but as an opportunity to save on everyday healthcare expenses.

HSA Fact #3: HSAs can be powerful retirement tools 

HSAs offer the double benefit of saving for current and future healthcare needs. Unlike flexible spending accounts (FSAs), funds roll over year to year, allowing them to grow over time. But do your employees know they can take it a step further and invest their HSA funds?

HSA investments have the potential to accelerate tax-free growth, creating a valuable long-term savings vehicle for retirement or unexpected medical costs. . Help your employees explore the investment opportunities within their HSA so they can unlock its full potential for tax-advantaged growth and financial security.

HSA Fact #4: 鈥淯se-it-or-lose-it鈥� rule out the door

HSAs offer unique advantages that set them apart from FSAs. Unlike FSAs, unused funds in an employee鈥檚 HSA carry over to the next year, allowing their savings to accumulate over time. And with the ability to invest their HSA funds, employees can potentially grow their savings and create a valuable long-term asset for retirement or future healthcare needs. 

Due to these benefits, employees should consider contributing the maximum allowable amount under IRS limits. This allows them to take full advantage of tax savings and accumulate a substantial nest egg for future healthcare expenses. By communicating the key differences between HSAs and FSAs, you can empower your employees to make informed decisions and enjoy the full potential of their HSA contributions.

HSA Fact #5: Qualify for a HDHP? Benefit from an HSA

As long as an employee is enrolled in a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP), they can benefit from an HSA. HSAs offer a powerful duo of tax benefits and financial security, appealing to all individuals, regardless of their current health status. Here’s how HSAs benefit everyone:

• Lower taxable income
• Save for current and future healthcare expenses
• Peace of mind for unexpected needs

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own legal counsel, tax and investment advisers. 

糖心Vlogreceives compensation from some of the merchants identified in its blog posts. By linking to these products, 糖心Vlogis not endorsing these products.

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Health savings account (HSA)

HSAs are individually owned accounts, so your HSA will stay with you no matter whether or how you qualify for COBRA. You are still eligible to participate and contribute to an HSA while on COBRA as long as:

• You鈥檙e enrolled in an HSA-eligible health plan (or high-deductible health plan).
• You don鈥檛 have any disqualifying coverage (such as an FSA).

And, if you are no longer enrolled in an HSA-eligible health plan, you can鈥檛 contribute to your HSA, but you can still spend your HSA funds at any time. Your HSA funds can be used to pay for COBRA premiums. They can also be used on group health insurance premiums if the covered individual is receiving unemployment compensation under federal or state law.

Flexible spending account (FSA)

If you were enrolled in an FSA prior to electing COBRA, you may still be able to tap into your FSA funds. Your ability to spend down funds depends on a number of factors, and those factors can be specific to your employer鈥檚 FSA. You may also be eligible to re-enroll in an FSA through COBRA, but only through the end of the plan year. 

Generally, claims incurred after you become eligible for COBRA are not eligible for reimbursement unless you re-enroll in the FSA through COBRA. However, if your FSA coverage ends, your FSA may have a run-out period that allows you to submit claims you incurred during the plan year for reimbursement, as long as the claims were incurred prior to the event that qualified you for COBRA. 

Health reimbursement arrangement (HRA)

Generally, your employer must offer you access to your HRA as part of your COBRA coverage.  So, if your employer is required to offer COBRA continuation coverage, then your employer would also be required to offer the same HRA coverage to you that you elected before you experienced the COBRA qualifying event. And your HRA funds, depending on the HRA鈥檚 plan design, may be eligible to be used to pay for COBRA premiums. 

Commuter benefits

COBRA provides security on health benefits, so it doesn’t include commuter benefits. For example, if your employment is terminated and you become eligible for COBRA, you would likely no longer have access to your commuter benefits funds. 

Would you like to stay up to date on your employee benefits and COBRA? Subscribe to our blog to learn more!

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own legal counsel, tax and investment advisers. 

糖心Vlogreceives compensation from some of the merchants identified in its blog posts. By linking to these products, 糖心Vlogis not endorsing these products.

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Since HSAs are employee-owned, they stay with you even when you leave your employer. The funds are yours. As you change jobs, . We’ve outlined a few options below, or watch our episode of Benefits Buzz where we cover what you can do with multiple HSAs.聽

Transfer funds

The simplest way to reduce your number of HSAs to one is to complete an HSA transfer. This process is completed by your current and former HSA custodian. Because you never take ownership of the funds during the transfer, you鈥檙e allowed to complete as many transfers as you need to. You also don鈥檛 need to report a transfer on your tax return. 

For our participants who are moving to an HSA by WEX, we have an . They simply complete the form to transfer funds from their former custodian to us.

Roll them over

You can also reduce the number of HSAs you have by withdrawing the funds from the old account(s) and depositing them into the new one. This process differs from a transfer because you鈥檙e taking ownership of the funds for a time, which means you will have to report any rollovers with your tax return.   

• You may complete a rollover only once during a one-year period.
• You must complete this process within 60 days of receiving your funds from the withdrawal.

If you do not complete the rollover per IRS rules, your funds to taxes and/or face a 20 percent penalty. 

Spend down one of your multiple HSAs

HSAs can be used for a variety of reasons. Some spend their funds, while others save and invest. And many of you do all three. If you鈥檙e an HSA spender, you could choose to simply spend down the balance of accounts that you aren鈥檛 actively contributing to. 

Once you鈥檝e depleted these balances, you could then close the HSAs without funds in them. Closing these accounts is an important step, since you could be charged service fees if you don’t close them. 

Leave the multiple HSAs be

You could also choose to leave all of your HSAs open. As mentioned, this could come at a higher cost to you since multiple accounts could mean multiple fees. And multiple HSAs can also mean multiple online accounts to manage and multiple debit cards to keep track of.

One of our HSA Day contributors told us they have two HSAs: one for spending needs now, and the other for long-term saving. 

 鈥淲e鈥檝e planned to use (my husband鈥檚 HSA) for our retirement,鈥� Titi Tran told us during last year鈥檚 HSA Day. 鈥淲ith my account, we have contributed a shorter amount of time, and so it doesn鈥檛 have as much money. We use it on a more day-to-day basis to cover medical expenses and prescriptions, eye exams, and dental expenses.鈥�

Watch our video to learn more about how you’ll benefit with an HSA.

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own counsel. 

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It’s time to charge full speed ahead with your open enrollment aftermath strategy. By analyzing what went right, and what could be improved, you can help ensure an easier, more effective process for next year. This helps you take actionable steps to collect, analyze and act upon data from four key groups:

• Employees
• Internal stakeholders
• Your benefits broker
• Your technology partner

With data from these four groups, you’re on your way to all the information you’ll need to improve your benefits strategy for next year.

But let’s take this seemingly monstrous task and break it down into manageable chunks. Rather than looking at every group, let’s start by focusing on the first, and most important, group you need to survey.

WHO should you survey?

Start by delivering an open enrollment survey to both your benefits eligible employees AND the dependents they have listed in your system. Some employees might designate a spouse, or other family member to perform benefits enrollment tasks on their behalf and you want your true end-user to be able to provide feedback on their overall experience.

WHAT should you ask?

The open enrollment survey questions you ask largely will depend on the聽goals you are trying to measure. If you have not defined any specific goals, then start by focusing on the open enrollment experience as a whole, for example 鈥� what did your employees like and what do they want to be different for next year. Regardless of the type of questions you ask, make sure to keep the survey brief 鈥� no more than 5 questions 鈥� and ask only the information that will help you take actionable next steps.

Want more tips on what to ask? Check out our graphic below:

WHERE should your survey live?

A majority of organizations are going to find that creating an online survey is the most effective way to collect, store and analyze data. The easiest option is to use a free survey tool like Survey Monkey and distribute the survey link to your employees through email. If you go this route, double check your survey tool to make sure it is mobile-friendly and offers robust analysis and reporting tools. For organizations with robust research and analytics teams, approach peer leaders in these areas to explore access their research and analytics tools.

Pro Tip: If you work in an organization with a population of employees whose job functions do not allow access to a computer with ease during the day, you may want to deploy a hybrid approach of both online and mailed paper copies of your open enrollment survey.

WHEN should you survey?

In an ideal world, you would survey your employees immediately after they complete open enrollment while the experience is still fresh in their mind. Add the link to a post-enrollment email. Missed the opportunity to do that this year? Don鈥檛 worry, send out the survey as soon as you are able to put something together. Collecting this group’s data is what matters most 鈥� regardless of timing.

WHY should you survey?

Simply put, employee feedback is the most important data you can obtain to help shape future open enrollments. Their feedback can help you identify any gaps between what you as the employer think is important, and what employees are actually looking for. Furthermore, data obtained from this group can be used to help strengthen your overall communication strategies and enrollment campaigns to raise awareness  and provide benefits education to employees who need it.

HOW should you survey?

Thankfully, there are many free tools online that make it easy to write, create, and deploy an open enrollment survey on your own. However, depending on the benefits administration solutions provider you work with, they may be able to execute this survey on your behalf 鈥� and provide experienced guidance to help you ask the right questions, of the right employees, at the right time.

For example, our clients have the option to consult with their client delivery manager about any post-enrollment activities they want to execute, such as a survey. From there, the client team designs the survey and uses our communications module to immediately send out a link to the survey (or mail a paper copy) after the employee completes enrollment. We can even send automated reminder emails to employees who have not responded. This allows you to spend more time analyzing the data and less time setting-up, distributing and collecting survey responses.

Here are the top five post open enrollment survey questions we find to be most helpful for actionable next steps and overall analysis:

1. How would you rate the overall benefits enrollment experience?
   Pro Tip: Use a Likert scale format (Excellent, Good, Neutral, Fair, Poor) to measure employee experience in a data consistent format.
   
2. How satisfied were you with the benefits package offered during open enrollment?
   Pro Tip: Use a Likert scale format (Very satisfied, Satisfied, Neutral, Dissatisfied, Extremely dissatisfied) to measure opinion in a data consistent format.
   
   
3. Did you have enough tools to make an informed decision about your benefits?
   Pro Tip: Use Yes/No check boxes. If the employee selects “No”, add a progressive survey question that asks “Did you know who to contact for help/guidance during the process?” to gain further insights.
   
4. Was the benefits enrollment system personalized and easy to navigate?
   Tip: Use Yes/No check boxes to help you draw general conclusions. Next Steps: Provide employees with the smoothest, easiest benefits experience ever when you implement a benefits technology with effortless customization available.
   
5. What could be better during open enrollment?
   Tip: Make this a required, open-ended question to allow employees the space to share their thoughts and provide ideas you might not have thought of before. Next Steps: After you gather the data, categorize the responses to this question into similar topics for easier analysis. Take the results a step further and host in-person focus groups to expand on important themes that surfaced from the survey. For additional ways to solicit 鈥� and act upon 鈥� employee feedback, check out this article.

Would you like more advice on benefits communication? Check out this episode of our Benefits podcast!

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own counsel.

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Dry nasal passages

The cold, dry air of winter can really . You can find relief thanks to a number of products that qualify, like .

Sore eyes

Your eyes are also susceptible to the damaging effects of winter air. And sore eyes can result in less productivity and . will provide your eyes with much-needed moisture, and are a great way to combat dry eyes, headaches and sinus discomfort.

Back pain

Sledding, skiing, snowball fights 鈥� there are so many fun winter activities! Unfortunately, many Americans that shows up when the temperatures drop. You can use pre-tax dollars to save money on purchases such as hot/cold packs and heating pads.

Asthma

have asthma, which causes breathing issues. For some, it can. Winter only makes for many due to cold air and the amount of time people spend indoors. A number of asthma-related products are eligible expenses, including asthma delivery devices and oxygen flow monitors.

Winter survival kits

Before you venture out for winter fun, put together . Your kit should contain supplies you鈥檒l need if you experience car trouble or end up in a ditch due to icy roads. And many of the supplies you鈥檇 include in a winter survival kit are eligible expenses, including:

Do you have FSA funds to spend down before the end of your plan?

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own legal counsel, tax and investment advisers. 

糖心Vlogreceives compensation from some of the merchants identified in its blog posts. By linking to these products, 糖心Vlogis not endorsing these products.

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Communication engagement metrics

Communication engagement can provide insights into employee satisfaction and level of engagement. If an open enrollment period sees a decrease in communication engagement, this could be a sign that employees are feeling disinterested or overwhelmed in their benefits offerings. 

Engagement tracking can help you understand which methods of communication are more effective, identify areas of improvement, and ensure that employees are properly informed about their benefits. 

Different communication engagement areas to track:

• Email open rates
• Video views
• Click-through rates
• Employee survey participation rates

Enrollment rates

Participation rates, incomplete enrollments, or the trends in timing of people’s participation in the open enrollment are all important to track as you evaluate the success of your open enrollment.

Tracking these rates can help identify discrepancies in the process, such as inconsistencies for different groups of individuals. The information gathered can help make improvements to the process in future years. 

Tracking incomplete enrollment rates can show where in the process they are struggling, or what communication channels are not effective. Noticing that certain groups are not completing the enrollment process can show where you need to provide more support and education to ensure they understand the benefits options. 

Tracking the timing when people participate in open enrollment can also be helpful. This is because you are able to see if the employees are making informed decisions and that the company is meeting the needs of its workforce. Also, this helps monitor the effectiveness of the overall open enrollment process. For example, if the rate of participation is low or employees tend to sign up for benefits at the last minute, the employer may need to adjust the process to make it easier for employees to participate. 

Would you like to learn more about the results of our participant survey and how to set yourself up for a successful open enrollment based on their feedback? !

In-person activities

In-person activities are an important metric to track in open enrollment because they provide an understanding of how much personal engagement is occurring in the enrollment process. 

This could be tracking the participants in:

• In-person meetings
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Benefit fairs
• Q&A event participation

Tracking the questions and discussions in these activities can provide an understanding that other metrics cannot provide. Finally, tracking these metrics can give you an understanding of which employees are engaging with the process and which employees may need additional assistance. 

Q&A events give employees the opportunity to ask questions about their benefits and receive answers from knowledgeable professionals. By tracking these events, you can identify any areas of confusion and address them proactively. This can help employers identify which benefits are most important to employees and make sure they are providing better ideas of what employees are looking for in their benefits and how they can improve the open enrollment process. This feedback can be used to inform future open enrollment efforts and ensure that employee needs are being met.

Post-enrollment metrics

One of the most important metrics to track in open enrollment season is post-enrollment. Tracking everything after open enrollment is closed can give insight to the overall performance of the program. 

These metrics give valuable information on the effectiveness of the programs outreach and marketing efforts. For example, measuring employee satisfaction and retention rates can show the success of the program in terms of providing the necessary resources and support to those who have enrolled. Tracking is one indication of customer satisfaction. 

Cost savings measures the amount of money saved by the organization through open enrollment. This can help organizations understand how much money they are saving by providing employees with better benefits packages.

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own legal counsel, tax and investment advisers. 

糖心Vlogreceives compensation from some of the merchants identified in its blog posts. By linking to these products, 糖心Vlogis not endorsing these products.

The post Top metrics to track so you learn more about this open enrollment’s performance appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

Click here for the first blog post in our series on choosing a health plan for the first time.

Considerations for choosing benefits

When evaluating your options, consider your personal circumstances, health status, and financial situation. Keep these factors in mind:

• Medical needs: Estimate your medical needs for the coming year. Do you anticipate regular doctor visits, ongoing prescriptions, or any planned medical procedures.
• Coverage requirements: Consider any specific coverage requirements, such as prescription medications, specialists, or pre-existing conditions.

Understanding HSAs

The number of health savings accounts (HSAs) has doubled nationwide , as more Americans turn to these accounts as a way to save on healthcare costs and prepare for retirement. To take advantage of an HSA, you need to participate in an HSA-eligible health plan (or high-deductible health plan).聽

HSA-eligible health plans typically have lower premiums but higher deductibles. Assess your ability to cover the deductible before choosing this plan. Funds you or your employer contribute to your HSA can help with this. 

Watch the video to hear more from our own Jason Cook about the retirement-planning potential of an HSA.

Exploring HSAs and FSAs

HSAs and medical flexible spending accounts (FSAs) let you save money because the funds you contribute to them are pre-tax.. Consider the following when evaluating these accounts:

• Tax benefit: Contributions to HSAs and FSAs are tax-deductible and reimbursements for qualified medical expenses are tax-free.
• Savings potential: HSAs and FSAs establish a strong financial cushion for anticipated healthcare needs. HSAs stand out for their unique feature of allowing the rollover of funds from year to year.聽
• Portability: HSAs are portable, meaning you can keep and use the funds even if you change jobs or health plans. FSAs are employer-owned, meaning you may lose the funds if you change job or health plans. Limited FSA as a savings account: Limited FSAs can also be used as a savings account for anticipated medical expenses. By estimating your annual healthcare costs, you can contribute pre-tax dollars and use them as needed throughout the year.聽

Other popular benefits options

Although HSAs and FSAs consistently top the list of most popular benefits options, there are other options to explore that may provide the help you need: 

• Lifestyle spending accounts (LSAs): These accounts provide a employers with an opportunity to contribute funds in an account for expenses related to wellness, fitness, and even education. LSAs are becoming more popular as employers recognize the importance of holistic well-being. They can be used for activities such as gym memberships, yoga classes, or even language courses.
• Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs): HRAs are employer-funded accounts designed to cover specific healthcare expenses. They can be used in conjunction with certain health plans and offer a predetermined amount of funds for eligible costs. HRAs provide an extra layer of financial support for medical needs beyond insurance coverage.
• Commuter benefits: If your daily routine involves commuting, commuter benefits can help you save money on transportation costs. These benefits allow you to set aside pre-tax dollars to cover expenses related to public transit, parking, or even rideshares.
• Pet benefits: For those who consider their furry friends part of the family, pet insurance and other forms of pet benefits can help cover unexpected veterinary costs. It ensures that your pets receive the care they need without straining your finances.
• Supplemental life insurance: While your employer might offer a basic life insurance policy, supplemental life insurance allows you to tailor coverage to your unique needs. It’s a valuable way to provide additional financial support for your loved ones in the event of the unexpected.

Subscribe to our blog to stay updated on all the benefits information!

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Can vision expenses be covered by HSAs and FSAs? 

HSAs and FSAs can cover certain vision-related expenses. It’s important to note that the extent of coverage might vary based on your unique plan specifications. Check out our comprehensive list of eligible expenses for both HSAs and FSAs.

What eye procedures does my HSA or FSA cover?

If you require eye-related procedures, HSAs and FSAs can be valuable to tap into. Surgeries such as or to treat are generally eligible for reimbursement from both accounts. Nevertheless, it’s worth acknowledging that the degree of coverage could hinge on the specifics of your plan and the medical necessity of the procedure. For instance, if the procedure is deemed essential due to an underlying medical condition, it may be covered under your medical plan rather than your HSA or FSA.

Are you new to HSAs? Watch the video below to learn 7 things you should know about them. 

Vision costs eligible for HSA and FSA funds 

Beyond routine examinations and eye procedures, there’s an array of vision-related expenses that can be purchased using HSA and FSA funds. These include expenses such as , , and . Moreover, both accounts can also be employed to offset the financial burden associated with treatments for eye infections and . Reading glasses also qualify as an eligible expense.

Boundaries to eligibility: Vision expenses that don’t qualify 

While HSAs and FSAs offer a broad scope of coverage for vision-related expenses, there are certain costs that don’t meet the criteria for reimbursement. Cosmetic procedures such as elective vision correction surgery (e.g., PRK or cosmetic LASIK) typically aren’t covered by HSAs or FSAs. Non-prescription eyewear, such as non-prescription sunglasses, do not qualify for reimbursement.

Filing claims for vision expenses

Medical FSAs do require claims to be submitted. When you’ve made a purchase or received a service using a benefits card, retaining documentation is essential in case it鈥檚 needed to substantiate your claim. This documentation typically includes: 

• Date service was received or purchase was made
• Description of service or item purchased
• Dollar amount
• Provider or store name

Check out the and to explore further items and services your HSA and FSA can cover!

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own legal counsel, tax and investment advisers. 

糖心Vlogreceives compensation from some of the merchants identified in its blog posts. By linking to these products, 糖心Vlogis not endorsing these products or the content of the merchants鈥� websites. 糖心Vlogalso can鈥檛 ensure that merchants won鈥檛 change the content on the websites linked in this blog post. 

The post Vision expenses piling up? Use your HSA or FSA appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

What is an EAP?

In essence, an EAP is a confidential resource designed to support employees facing personal or professional challenges that may impact their well-being and job performance. These programs offer a wide variety of services, including counseling, mental health support, and assistance with issues like stress management and work-life balance. By providing a safety net for employees, EAPs not only enhance the overall mental and emotional health of your employees, but also contribute to increased job satisfaction and performance.

Misconceptions around EAPs

Unfortunately, with low usage of their EAPs due to employee misconceptions. One big misconception employees have is the thought that utilizing an EAP will incur personal expenses. It is key to communicate to your employees that EAPs are generally employer-funded. Another common misconception is concerns about privacy with sensitive information. 

The truth is, EAPs take privacy seriously, so employees can seek help without stressing about their personal information being shared. Clearing up these misconceptions and highlighting the low-cost and confidential nature of EAPs can boost engagement and get more employees tapping into these useful resources.

Do EAPs provide enough support to meet employee needs?

Relying solely on EAPs may fall short of addressing all the diverse mental health needs of today’s workforce. EAPs often focus on crisis intervention and short-term problem-solving, but a comprehensive approach to employee wellness should extend beyond reactive measures. Additionally, EAPs may not fully encompass the evolving challenges employees face, such as the growing importance of work-life balance and career development.

EAPs and beyond

To cultivate a mentally healthy workplace, it鈥檚 important to consider offering resources beyond traditional EAPs that can help improve mental wellness. Health savings accounts (HSAs) give employees the opportunity to save money on a variety of mental health-related costs such as therapy and prescription/OTC meds. And employees can use lifestyle spending account (LSA), funds for emotional wellness eligible expenses including counseling services and medication classes.

Additionally, allowing flexible work arrangements acknowledges the diverse needs of your workforce, promoting a better work-life balance. Initiatives aimed at reducing the stigma around mental health, such as awareness campaigns and open conversations help create a supportive environment as well. To go even further, hosting mental health workshops can provide practical tips for employee mental wellness. By combining these mental health resources along with EAPs, you can create a comprehensive wellness strategy that addresses various aspects of employees’ lives and actively promotes a workplace culture where mental health is a priority.

Are you interested in learning more about how to support your employees? Check out our !

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